T140292 Bethlehem Steel Forging Lamp original industrial mechanical drawing Steelers artifact folk art
Dimensions: 15" x 15"
Illuminated by 110 volt L.E.D.
The focal point of this piece is the original hand drawn, pencil on mylar (polyester), mechanical drawings from the Bethlehem Steel Corp. Polyester (mylar) was used from the 1950s up until the advent of C.A.D. drawings. The original integrity of the drawing is intact. Magnets are used to secure the drawing to the “lampshade” frame constructed of MIG welding wire spool.
This drawing was recovered from Johnstown, Pa. Bethlehem Steel plants, contractors and successors. Much of the steel mills are demolished but the oldest buildings are on the Historic Registry and preserved. https://www.jaha.org/attractions/heritage-discovery-center/johnstown-history/history-steel-johnstown/
Along with the Drawings, I collected original photos of the plant and its products, and employees, plant documents and catalogs of the machines and rail cars they build. I also took my own photos of the plants before and during demolition. It was painful to be on site as demolition took down my old customers buildings.
Dr. Zaborowski with the Digital Public Library of America, has lent her time and expertise to digitize much of the drawings and ephemera for posterity. So, if you like further connection to these works, visit: https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Aacacc-jsic
In its’ heyday, Bethlehem employed @25,000 employees between the mines and Steel Mills in the Johnstown, Pa region.
The engineers designed, they & draftsmen drew the plans, skilled steelworkers fabricated rail cars for customers in Pittsburgh. and worldwide. They melted iron ore, converted it to steel, shaped it , rolled it and assembled the end products . When the jobs went overseas, they left their clothes, gear, old spice and girly calendars in their lockers and walked away from their family sustaining job. I have attached photos that roughly parallels the sequence of events that the drawing subject followed. Some I shot & some are vintage that I purchased. I spent 16 years servicing the mills and mines as a Westinghouse representative. The last 4 photos are me in my time on the job and later salvaging remnants of my customers as they faded into rustbelt brownfields.
These are remnants of Big Steel that remind us why the Pittsburgh football team is called STEELERS!
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